Two Smart (and Safe!) Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep
Oh, sleep. Is there anything more glorious than a sleeping baby (and therefore sleeping parents)? I think not. And seeing that September is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month, I thought it would be a perfect time to share two products that have been successful at helping our little one sleep lately.
After spending the first four months tightly wrapped in a swaddle for nights and naps (we followed this to a T and it really did work most of the time, even if it took some time and lots of patience), once Gwen started rolling over and sleeping in her crib at night, I knew it was time to get her into something different. Normal PJs didn’t work because they didn’t provide enough close comfort for her (and, honestly, restriction of movement — that girl is always moving!) and traditional sleep sacks helped but still left her hands free to play with putting her binky in … and out … and in … and OMG, I dropped it, MOM!!!
So these two safe-sleep options? AWESOME.
1. Bitta Kidda LovieSack
Bitta Kidda sent me its Lovie Sack ($44) to try and although it looks just like your normal sleep sack, it’s got extra features that make it stand out from the rest. First, it’s super soft and cozy. Second, its zippers and snaps are placed strategically so that you’re little Houdini can’t escape. Third, there’s an inner portion that velcros around the diaper for a secure fit (no getting up around baby’s head or face). And lastly — and the coolest thing about it — are the two little white squares of soft fabric called “lovies” that baby can feel and play with to self-soothe at sleeptime (almost as good as the binky-in-and-out trick). As you can see above, Gwen loved these. And, therefore, so did mama. She regularly naps in this Lovie Sack.
2. Zipadee Zip
While Gwen naps well in the Lovie Sack, she still needs a bit more of a swaddle feel at bedtime. And this is where the Zipadee Zip ($36.95) comes in. Featured on Shark Tank (Anyone else love that show? I’m obsessed) and created as a “swaddle transition blanket,” I bought two of these because they work so well. You simply place baby in, zip it up and put them down on their back (remember: back is best!). Yes, they look like a little flying squirrel in it, and, yes, that’s adorable. But the magic in it — at least for us — is that the whole binky-in binky-out problem? It’s no longer because although she can move her arms around, her little fingers can’t really grab anything. That doesn’t mean that the paci always stays in, but it sure does help.
What products have helped your little one snooze peacefully? My family also couldn’t sleep/live without this and these. —Jenn